Paint mixer



Sept. 5, 1950 P. MARIENTHAL PAINT MIXER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 15, 1949 IJVVENTO/B.

.PMAFIENTHAL Sept. 1950 P. MARIENTHAL 2,521,384

PAINT MIXER Filed Sept. 15, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UV VE'N T 01?.

P MARJENTHA 1,

Patented Sept. 5, 1950 Q -UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE iAINT MIXER Paul Marienthal, Detroit, MiclL, assignor to 4 Marion Metal Products 00., Detroit, Mich.

Application September 15, 194:9, Serial No. 115,807

5 Claims. (01. 259-66) This application relates to Paint Mixers and more particularly to paint mixers of the type comprising an open side stall for the reception of a paint can provided with a top mixer fitting of predetermined form having a coupling for detachably coupling to a coupling on the lower end of a vertical stub shaft projecting downwardly from the top side of the stall and connected at its upper end to suitable power drive means such as a gear box and motor.

Power mixers of this general type are well known. However, power mixers as presently known are equipped for the reception of but one size of paint can and consequently, because of the variety of paint cans on the market, the user of power mixers must provide himself with a number of such mixers for the different sizes and types of paint cans or be limited in the use of the power mixer that he happens to have available.

It is, therefore, an aim of the present inven tion to so equip a power mixer of this general type'as to enable it to receive the three most commonly used sizes and shapes of'paint cans, namely the round one quart can, the round one gallon can, and the square one gallon can, the mixer not only receiving any one of these three different sizes and shapes of cans, but in addition, automatically supporting and guiding such cans and holding them in proper coupling relation to the couplingon the lower end of the stub shaft.

Generally speaking, the foregoing aim is attained by providing and locating the backand side walls of the stall and the bottom wall of the stall in a manner properly to receive the round one gallon can, and providing a sunken step in the bottom wall for accommodating the so-called square one gallon can, and providing a hinge step-well above the bottom wall for accommodat ing'the smallest sized can, namely the round one quart can.

An embodiment made according to the foregoing is disclosed in the appended drawings and such embodiment will now be described.

In this drawing,

Fig. -1 is a side elevation view'of a power mixer of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view as if fromthe left of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, 5, and 7 are cutaway elevation views showing the mixer accommodating round one quart, square one'gallon, and round one gallon cans, respectively.

Figs. 4, 6, and 8 are views as if from the left of Figs. 3, 5, and 7, respectively.

vertical walls I i Refetring'tothe drawings, it will be observed that they show a paint mixer comprising an openside stall defined by a top wall l0, vertical side walls H, a bottom wall l2, and a back .wall [4. Projecting downwardly from the top wall, in a predetermined location, is a vertical stub shaft 2d, having on its lower end a hinge form drive coupling 2|, and connected at its upper end to a power driveinean's, such as a gear box 22, in turn connected through a drive shaft '23, to a motor '25, mounted in some suitable way on the uppersurface of the box of which the stall forms a part. The motor might also'be'mounted just above the gear box, this mounting arrangement not being shown inasmuch as it is well within the skill of 'a mechanic to supply.

The detachable coupling 21 on the lower end of the stub shaft 20 is designed to receive detachable pin type coupling 30, of predetermined form, formed on a top mixer fitting 3!, also of predetermined form, that is appliedto the upper end of theorem paint can 32, whose contents are to be stirred. Such mixer fitting 3| is detachably fastened to the open upper end of thecan and has downwardly projecting paddles 33 for stirring the contents. The'top fitting'al and its coupler 30 comprise a unit and for the various sizes and shapes of paint cans there are different iornisof top fittings, but all of them are alike in'theform and dimension of the coupling and in the location of the coupling of the paint can with respect to the drive coupling 2! on the stub shaft 20 if and when the paint can with its top fitting is properly located.

For properly and automatically guiding and locating and supporting and holding the various sizes'and shapes of paint cans, means are provided which will now be described.

Forguiding, supporting and holding the round one gallon can 40 (Figs. 7-8) and its top fitting -41 improper relation to the coupling 21 of the stub shaft'ZB, the bottom wall I2, and the three H, and M of the stall are utilized, and these walls are spaced and located properly for properly guiding and supporting and holding the round one gallon can and its top fittings in proper coupling relation to the stub shaft coupling.

there is formed in the bottom wall I2 of the stall :a'sunken, horizontal step 5| which is located for properlyguiding, supporting and holding in proper coupling relation to the stub shaft coupling, the top fitting 52 and coupling 30 of the spacing the square one gallon can suitably from the back wall to locate its coupling 30 properly with respect to the coupling 2| of the stub shaft 20.

For the smallest sized can, namely the round one quart can, 32 (Figs. 3-4) there is provided an upper step, or hinge plate 60, which is hingedly mounted at El on a vertical wall of the stall, preferably the back wall it, to swing up against such back wall (Fig. 5) and thus expose the bottom wall 12 and the lower step 5|, or to swing down from the back wall (Figs. 3-4) and, when swung down, to locate itself for properly guiding, supporting and holding in proper coupling relation to the stub shaft coupling, the conventional round one quart can of conventional form and dimension and having a top fitting 3| and coupling 39 of predetermined form.

The hinge plate (if! has a stop 62 for spacing the one quart can from the back wall of the stall and thus properly locating the coupling of that can properly with respect to the coupling on the stub shaft. In addition, the hinge plate, which is hingedly mounted on the back wall of the stall,

has vertical side flaps 63 which move through 1 vertical slots 64 of the back wall and the hinge is formed by the notch and lug formation at 6| of such side flaps.

It will be observed from the foregoing, that the construction herein shown is convenient and inexpensive and enables one having a supply of paint cans of the three difierent sizes indicated to utilize a single power mixer for any one of such three cans selectively as desired, with the construction functioning not only to properly guide the selected can into its proper place, with respect to the stub shaft, but also to support; the can in such proper place and to hold the can against undesirable movement while'its top fitting is coupled to the stub shaft and the contents of the can are being stirred by the power mixer.

Now having described the paint mixer herein disclosed, and the improvements which I have made in conventional paint mixers, reference should be had to the claims which follow:

1. In a paint mixer of the type comprising an open sided stall for the reception of a paint can provided with a top mixer fitting of predetermined form having a coupling for detachably coupling to a coupling on the lower end of a vertical stub shaft projecting downwardly from the top side of the stall and connected at its upper end to power drive means, combined guiding, supporting, and holding means for guiding, supporting, and holding selectively any one of three differently sized paint cans in said stall with the top fitting of the inserted can in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling, the combined means including the vertical side walls, the vertical back wall, and the horizontal bottom wall of said stall, these walls being spaced for properly guiding, supporting, and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a round one gallon paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, means providing a sunken horizontal step in said bottom wall which is located for properly guiding, supporting, and holding in pr per coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a so-called square one gallon paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, and a hinge plate hingedly mounted on a vertical wall of said stall to swing up against such vertical wall and expose the bottom wall and the step, or to swing down from such vertical wall and when swung down, to be located for properly guiding, supporting and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a round one quart paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form.

2. In a paint mixer of the type comprising an open sided stall for the reception of a paint can provided with a top mixer fitting of predetermined forni having a coupling for detachably coupling to a coupling on the lower end of a vertical stub shaft projecting downwardly from the top side of the stall and connected at its upper end to power drive means, combined guiding, supporting, and holding means for guiding, supporting, and holding selectively any one of three differently sized paint cans in said stall with the top fitting of the inserted can in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling, the combined mean including the vertical side walls, the vertical back wall, and the horizontal bottom wall of said stall, these walls being spaced for properly guiding, supporting, and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a round one gallon paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, means providing a sunken horizontal step in said bottom wall which is located for properly guiding, supporting, and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a so-called square one gallon paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, and a hinge plate hingedly mounted on a vertical wall of said stall to swing up against such vertical wall and expose the bottom wall and the step, or to swing down from such vertical wall and when swung down, to be located for properly guiding, supporting and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a round one quart paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, said hinge plate having a stop for spacing the one quart can from the back wall of the stall.

3. In a paint mixer of the type comprising an open sided stall for the reception of a paint can provided with a top mixer fitting of predetermined form having a coupling for detachably coupling to a coupling on the lower end-of a vertical stub shaft projecting downwardly from the top side of the stall and connected at its upper end to power drive means, combined guiding, supporting, and holding means for guiding, supporting, and holding selectively any one of three differently sized paint cans in said stall with the top fitting of the inserted can in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling, the combined means including the vertical side walls, the vertical back wall, and the horizontal bottom wall of said stall, these walls being spaced for properly guiding, supporting, and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a round one gallon paint can of conventional form and dimension with a-top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, means providing a sunken horizontal step in said bottom wall which is located for properly guiding, supporting,

and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a so-called square one gallon paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, and a hinge plate hingedly mounted on a vertical wall of said stall to swing up against such vertical wall and expose the bottom wall and the step, or to swing down from such vertical wall and when swung down, to be located for properly guiding, supporting and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a round one quart paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, said hinge plate being hingedly mounted on the back wall of the stall and having vertical side flaps which move through vertical slots of such back wall.

4. In a paint mixer of the type comprising an open sided stall for the reception of a paint can provided with a top mixer fitting of predetermined form having a coupling for detachably coupling to a coupling on the lower end of a vertical stub shaft projecting downwardly from the top side of the stall and. connected at its upper end to power drive means, combined guiding, supporting, and holding means for guiding, supporting, and holding selectively any one of three differently sized paint cans in said stall with the top fitting of the inserted can in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling, the combined means including the vertical side walls, the vertical back wall, and the horizontal bottom wall of said stall, these walls being spaced for properly guiding, supporting, and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a round one gallon paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, means providing a sunken horizontal step in said bottom wall which is located for properly guiding, supporting, and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a so-called square one gallon paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, and a hinge plate hingedly mounted on a vertical wall of said stall to swing up against such vertical wall and expose the bottom wall and the step, or to swing down from such vertical wall and when swung down, to be located for properly guiding, supporting and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a round one quart paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, said 6 I hinge plate being hingedly mounted on the back Wall of the stall and having vertical side flaps which move through vertical slots of such back wall, said hinge plate having a stop for spacing the one quart can from the back wall of the stall.

5. In a paint mixer of the type comprising an open sided stall for the reception of a paint can provided with a top mixer fitting of predetermined form having a coupling for detachably coupling to a coupling on the lower end of a vertical stub shaft projecting downwardly from the top side of the stall and connected at its upper end to power drive means, combined guiding, supporting, and holding means for guiding, supporting, and holding selectively any one of three differently sized paint cans in said stall with the top fitting of the inserted can in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling, the combined means including the vertical side walls, the vertical back wall, and the horizontal bottom wall of said stall, these Walls being spaced for properly guiding, supporting, and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a round one gallon paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, means providing a sunken horizontal step in said bottom wall whichis located for properly guiding, supporting, and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a so-called square one gallon paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, and a hinge plate hingedly mounted on a vertical wall of said stall to swing up against such vertical wall and expose the bottom wall and the step, or to swing down from such vertical wall and when swung down, to be located for properly guiding, supporting and holding in proper coupling relation to said stub shaft coupling a round one quart paint can of conventional form and dimension with a top fitting and coupling of predetermined form, said step having a riser stop for spacing the square one gallon can from the back wall.

PAUL MARIEN'I'I-IAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 567,726 Roberts et al Sept. 15, 1896 1,842,938 Hancock Jan. 26, 1932 

